1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pliers and, more particularly, to pliers which are usable to handle various types of round workpieces, particularly, drain nuts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The component parts of drain-waste systems are generally assembled with drain nuts, a typical example of which is shown in FIG. 6. The drain lines of the drain-waste systems are normally installed in confined areas in sink cabinets, and under lavatory cabinets and service counters. In addition, water service lines, waste disposal units and other miscellaneous piping may be located in the vicinity of the drain line. Consequently, access to the drain lines and drain nuts may be restricted or awkward.
A variety of hand tools have been utilized with the installation and handling of drain lines and drain nuts. A pliers-type hand tool is commonly used to handle drain nuts and other drain-waste system components. See, for example, the tools shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,682,797; 2,750,826; 2,990,213; 3,109,334; and 5,176,049.
However, the use of these prior art tools to install or remove drain nuts is disadvantageous for numerous reasons. First, the dissimilar opposing jaw areas do not permit application of an equal or uniform force to drain nuts of various sizes and shapes. In addition, the squeezing action may damage plastic or thin-walled metal drain nuts. Further, these tools do not have curved grooves on the inner jaw surfaces to receive various protrusions which exist on many common drain nuts. Finally, these tools have a wide profile which requires a considerable amount of space for use.
A variety of plier type hand tools have been developed for working on round workpieces, such as pipes and jar caps. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,817,126; 2,625,066; 2,607,248; 1,641,152; 1,363,316; 894,626; and 93,179. However, these specialized pliers do not accommodate the rib and ear structures found on many drain nuts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide pliers for handling drain nuts which can be used to tighten or loosen the drain nut without having to invert the pliers. It is a further object of the invention to provide pliers which apply a substantially uniform force to drain nuts of various sizes and shapes without mechanical adjustment. It is an additional object of the present invention to provide pliers which have arcuate jaws with grooves and recesses to handle drain nuts with ribs and ears on an outer surface thereof. It is another object of the invention to provide pliers which can be easily used in a confined environment without damage to the drain nut itself.